Saturday, November 21, 2015

Nov 16, 2015 update

Elder Reed decided this week to send a voice recording [SO wonderful to hear his voice!], so we'll do our best to transcribe it here. He also a couple of pictures - one that showed his bag he carries each day, and the other showing his shoes that are "new" that he is wearing. He had those when he left on his mission, as his extra pair, and it's wonderful that he has them and can use them!

His recorded letter: "Hi Family - How ya doing? I thought I'd try a different way of communicating this time. I thought I'd send you the audio file from my camera. We'll just have to see what happens. This is the first time I've ever done this. :)

This week was pretty good, pretty interesting. For the last p-day of the transfer, my zone played "people chess"! It was kinda fun! I got selected as a pawn and led my team from the pawn spot that never moved - it was kinda funny! Then, we played a game called "matajente" - it's like dodgeball, but the people who are throwing the ball are on the outside of a set area. What they're doing is, they are throwing a ball to the people on the inside, and if it hits ya, like dodgeball, you are out and you are now helping those trying to eliminate people from the inside. It's kinda fun! I enjoyed my time.

Then, our zone leaders came with us to help us check our room, and one of my zone leaders poked a hole in my really old big boot shoes I have [it was the other set of the big shoes seen above - apparently the hole was not repairable, but they'd been used for over a year, so it's all good!]. So, I had to break out the new set. :)

Then, this week, we had interviews with President Boswell! Man, that was fun! He is Awesome! There is no other word for that - he is the best!! He basically animated everyone in the zone to keep working harder, in a zone that is really quite difficult actually. But, he made it all seem like it was ok. And in reality, it is. We're all safe, no one is hurt. But we just gotta see what happens with the future. We have to see what happens.

I had a cool experience this week with references. My companion and I were walking around the streets trying to find someone to teach and we decided to stop by a less active [member's] house. We were talking and trying to find out if there was anything we can do to help them and they were like "no, Elders, it's ok, we don't need anything." Then, the thought came "hey do they have any references?", so we asked them. :) And the daughter, with her cellphone, pulled out 3 friends, 3 names of people that she wanted us to contact. We contacted one, we tried to contact another. And the third one going to come to a lesson here at her friend's house. Transfers are getting called today, so I'm not sure if I'll be here for it, but if I am, cool! I'll get to meet a friend of a menos activo [less active]. If not, well, whoever is here will be able to see something cool happen. :)

Another thing. We finally got to take the sacrament to [an older] member. He is a very old member, he's one of the first in this area! We kept saying "hey, guys, we need to help him to receive the sacrament." We received permission to take it to him and I'd just like bear my testimony that I know that the sacrament is very important! When we administered it to him, his whole countenance changed. He, to put it in simple words, his face got brighter. I'm not talking about that the sun all of a sudden was beaming off his face, but his countenance changed and he thanked us a lot. But, that would be one of the reasons why we serve. We're here to help people receive the ordinances of salvation. And the sacrament is one of them. It's one that we need to take every week, without fault [he was trying to translate his thought there]. ... that is incredibly important.

Oh yeah. And, PS, I gave a talk on Sunday. It was fun. :) The Bishop said "hey Elder Reed, would you give a talk on Sunday?" This was on Friday night. I said "yeah, yeah, ok". So I gave it. :) All those stories you hear about missionaries that have troubles giving talks beforehand? It's not that bad now. All you gotta do is actually prepare and then pray for God's help in delivering what you have prepared and He works the miracles. :)

I just thought I'd say that. That would be my week for this week! And I love you guys and I hope you all enjoy your week! Hasta luego!"